CUP fever may be sweeping Prenton Park, but Brian Little has to turn his players' thoughts back to league action tonight to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight.

Rover's FA Cup adventures have masked the fact they have only recorded two Nationwide wins since the turn of the year and now hover just six points above the Division Two drop zone.

Little and his team are still on a high after earning a quarter-final replay with Millwall and are just one step away from a semi-final appearance at Old Trafford.

However, he is all too aware that at sixth-placed Brighton tonight they must reproduce the resilient display seen at the New Den to avoid suffering their third successive league defeat.

"We have to go to Brighton and make sure we get something out of the game," he said. "We can't just focus on the cup. If we did that we would put ourselves under too much pressure in the league.

"Without a doubt you can say the players have a distraction in the FA Cup and we have to learn to deal with that. We have to use the positives of being in the cup to help us in the league.

"We have important games coming up before and after the replay and we have to be aware of that to make sure the season does not become uncomfortable. "We have to accept that we have a very busy schedule from now on, but that's a small price to pay for some sort of success."

After emerging from the Lions' Den with a clean sheet, defender Ryan Taylor is optimistic of a result at Brighton, despite Rovers having won only once on their league travels this season.

"The Den is a tough place to go, so the lads are full of confidence now," he said. "We know we have to start picking up points in the league and I can't see why we can't go to Brighton and at least get a point, if not a win. We've had a lot of draws away from home and we have to start turning those into wins."

Little is expecting to be with out experienced centre-half Ian Goodison, who suffered an ankle injury in the Millwall game. Fellow defender Graham Allen's continuing calf problems will also keep him out.

Brighton are looking to record their fifth straight home win tonight and have only lost once at the Withdean Stadium, their temporary home, since Mark McGhee took charge at the end of October.

The Seagulls are expected to include 21-goal leading striker Leon Knight in their starting line-up after recovering from tonsilitis.

Little is full of admiration for what the south coast club has achieved.

"For the last few years they have been a progressive side," he said.

"Perhaps promotion to the First Division came a season too early, but they are still a very strong side on their day with a good forward line. It will test us."